Two shows I really enjoyed in the last few years are Andor (a Star Wars saga) and The Penguin (a Batman spinoff). The reason for both is how they completely delivered an unexpected product.
Andor
In he case of Andor, it is a Star Wars movie that chronicles the time leading up to the first released movie, Star Wars: A New Hope Episode IV. The expectations of a Star Wars movie is that you have light sabers, a mysterious “force”, and Jedi warriors. Andor had none of these. It is closer to a WWII movie about the French resistance from the 1960s. It is tense political story telling, good writing, good acting, and good cinematography.
The expectation of big battles with light sabers was completely subverted. This made it a delight to watch. You can watch Andor without knowing anything about Star Wars and enjoy it thoroughly. It was a series about people struggling against an oppressive government. I liked it because of this. If it had all of the jedi stuff, I probably would have just skipped it.
The Penguin
The Penguin is a similar situation. It is a Batman spinoff series. In Batman franchises you either get super “camp” like Jack Nicholson as the Joker or you get “gritty” like Heath Ledger as the Joker. In both cases, you have billionaire Bruce Wayne using technology to thwart the bad guys. There are lots of fancy powers and tricks. In the Penguin, you get none of that. Batman doesn’t even make a cameo, he is totally absent.
Instead, what you get is a gritty crime drama about a emotionally insecure kid who grows up to be an emotionally insecure man working in organized crime. During a moment of turmoil, there are opportunities for those who would take them. You do not need to know anything about Batman at all to enjoy this show. It is closer to The Wire than it is to any Batman show.
Bucking expectations
I liked both shows because they refused to go along with the formula. There are times for fan service, I understand that. However, if someone is going to make a memorable piece of art, they need to find new pathways. Whether it is an anti-villain, an anti-hero, or a twist ending, people will always remember your choices because they were unique.
Note for Designers
Your portfolio is a perfect chance to do this. You have complete control over your own website. Everyone is expecting the same tired templated formula.
“Hi, My name is Glen. š
I am a [insert adjective] designer”
This is not going to be memorable and not going to get you noticed. Break the trend, subvert expectations. Make something different.
Whatya think?